Mets Need The Wright Backup At Third Base

David Wright has his fans. Those are the ones who say he's the face of the franchise and can tell you without giving it much thought how many seasons he's had with a .300+ batting average (five, in case you were wondering) and 100+ RBI (also five).

He also has his haters. Those people will point to his declining batting average and his rising strikeout totals, as well as his "aw, shucks" attitude that doesn't inspire his teammates to raise their game to another level.

One thing David Wright doesn't have is sufficient rest during the season. Since he's expected to be a key cog in the not-so-well-oiled machine, it's difficult to give him too many days off during the regular season, but because he's in the lineup day in and day out, his production tends to suffer more than it should.

Since being promoted to the Mets midway through the 2004 season, Wright has had a number of prolonged slumps. Each time after his manager has given him a routine day of rest, he's responded well after his 24-hour respite.

• In 2005, Wright began his first full season in the major leagues by starting 32 of the team's first 33 games. With David's batting average down to .255, Willie Randolph gave him a day off. After his one-day layoff, Wright went on a tear over his next 14 games, batting .440 (22-for-50) and lashing out nine extra-base hits to the tune of a .700 slugging percentage.

• In 2007, David Wright had appeared in every game the Mets played in April and May, but was only hitting .271 with 8 HR and 28 RBI. After getting his first full game off on June 1, Wright responded with a bang, hitting .339 over the next 30 games. He also banged out seven home runs and drove in 21 runs over that month-long stretch.

• In 2008, the Mets could ill afford to give Wright a day off, but when his batting average had dropped to the mid-.280s in early August, Jerry Manuel knew that he had to give his third baseman a day off. After not playing against the Pirates on August 17, Wright caught his breath and regained his batting stroke, hitting .336 over the team's final 38 games. He also scored 31 runs, to go with 10 HR and 29 RBI.

• In 2010, Wright played in each of the Mets' first 40 games. However, he was only hitting .262 and was striking out at a record-breaking pace (55 Ks in those 40 games). After getting his first day off of the year, Wright came back with a four RBI, no strikeout game. This type of performance continued over his next 37 games. In those 37 games, Wright hit .359, with 16 doubles, six homers and 37 RBI (an average of one RBI per game). More importantly, he cut down on his strikeouts, fanning a total of 35 times over that stretch.

Of course, sometimes it's difficult to find a good day to give Wright a break, especially if his replacement is one you'd rather not see in the lineup. During the first half of the 2010 season, the Mets played Fernando Tatis at the hot corner whenever Wright was given a day off. After Tatis played his final game of the season on July 4, the role of David Wright's backup went to Mike Hessman. Neither player performed at a level that could afford the team more opportunities to rest their starting third baseman, with Tatis hitting .185 in 65 at-bats and Hessman hitting a paltry .127 in 55 at-bats. It almost made fans long for the days when Chris Woodward and Julio Franco were backing up David Wright.

If David Wright is going to continue to be one of the key components in the lineup, the Mets must find a backup who will not be an automatic out whenever he gets a spot start. Finding that type of player will allow them to give Wright a day off here and there before he goes into those extended slumps. It can also give them a player they can use as trade bait or perhaps a player who can become a starter at another position (a la Angel Pagan, who filled in nicely for Carlos Beltran in 2009 and 2010 and is now an everyday outfielder even with Beltran back in the mix).

Right now, the Mets' 40-man roster doesn't have too many options for the backup role to David Wright. Rule 5 pick Brad Emaus can play some third, but he is mostly a second baseman. Zach Lutz had a promising season in 2010, but that was in AA ball. The only player on the Mets' 40-man roster with major league experience who has played third base before is Daniel Murphy, who played 196 games at the hot corner in 2007 and 2008 while in the minor leagues. Perhaps Sandy Alderson can made a trade for a capable backup infielder. If not, then there's always the free agent route, but there aren't too many reasonable options there (Andy LaRoche, Hank Blalock and Nick Punto, to name a few).

David Wright turned 28 last week. He is now firmly entrenched as one of the veterans on the team. However, if he's going to be counted on to be one of the offensive leaders on the team, he has to be given regular rest in order to fully take advantage of the production he's capable of. Having a roster spot taken up by the likes of Mike Hessman was not the answer in 2010 and having a Hessman-like player in 2011 will not be acceptable.

Simply stated, the Mets must have a productive backup for David Wright on the roster. They have to give him more days of rest during the season, especially when (or better yet, before) he's on one of his "ten strikeouts in six games" streaks. If they don't, Wright's production will continue to suffer as will the Mets' position in the NL East standings. And considering where the Mets have found themselves in the standings over the past two seasons, that's a little too much suffering than any fanbase needs.

Ike-aramba! Mets Promote Davis To The Big Show

When Daniel Murphy was injured in Spring Training, the Mets could have turned to top first base prospect Ike Davis to replace him. After all, Davis was hitting an eye-popping .480 with 3 HR and 10 RBI in Grapefruit League action.

Instead, the Mets sent the 23-year-old Davis to Buffalo and decided to go with the platoon of Mike Jacobs and Fernando Tatis. After all, Ike had never played a professional game above the AA level and the Mets' front office believed he could use some extra minor-league seasoning.

Then the Mets got off to a rocky start, going 4-8 over their first 12 games and bringing up the rear in the National League East. The team was hitting a miserable .224 over those twelve games and had produced only nine home runs and a league-low 15 doubles.

The Jacobs/Tatis platoon contributed greatly to the early-season swoon. In 24 at-bats, Fernando Tatis had produced a mere four hits (.167 average), with only one double, no homers and three runs batted in. Mike Jacobs was not much better, as his 24 at-bats yielded five hits (.208 average), with one double, one homer and two RBI.

At the same time, Ike Davis was off to a torrid start at AAA-Buffalo. In 10 games for the Bisons, Davis was hitting .364 with three doubles, two homers and four RBI. He had also drawn nine walks while striking out only five times. His .500 on-base percentage was tied for first in the International League.

Dead Manuel Walking and the Mets' front office knew that a change had to made at first base if they were going to turn things around offensively. Step one was to designate Mike Jacobs for assignment. Step two happened tonight, as the Mets promoted Ike Davis to the major leagues.

With Davis, the Mets may have their first baseman of the future. Davis' father and the SNY crew have compared him to John Olerud, the man who anchored the infield that was arguably the greatest defensive infield ever assembled. Olerud was also a steady hitter, averaging 36 doubles, 21 HR, 97 RBI and a .315 batting average (including the Mets' all-time single season high of .354 in 1998) over his three years with the Mets.

In 677 at-bats in the minors (roughly the equivalent of one full major league season), Davis hit .288, with 49 doubles, 22 HR and 92 RBI. Therefore, the comparisons to the sweet-swinging Olerud are right on target.

The team has already stated that Davis is here to play every day. If he continues to perform at the major league level similarly to the way he was performing in the minors, Davis might be here to stay. He is not expected to be the savior of the franchise, but he is expected to be an improvement over Tatis, Jacobs and perhaps even Murphy.

Welcome to the Big Show, Ike Davis. Now it's up to you to prove to the fans and upper management that you belong here.

Show Us Your Tatis! Fernando Re-Signs For 2010

According to Mike Puma's blog for the New York Post, Fernando Tatis has re-signed with the Mets for the 2010 season. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but it is believed to be less than the $1.7 million he earned during the 2009 season, although incentives could allow him to come close to that figure.

In 340 at-bats with the Mets last season, Tatis hit .282, with 21 doubles, eight HR and 48 RBI. In two years with the Mets, Tatis has accumulated about a full season's worth of at-bats (613). In those 613 at-bats, the utility man has hit .289, with 37 doubles, 19 HR and 95 RBI.

The signing of Tatis will likely end the Mets' pursuit of Carlos Delgado. The brittle first baseman has been doing his best to hide a limp while playing winter ball in his native Puerto Rico, but just like Takeru Kobayashi at a fasting convention, he's failing miserably.

Tatis can now be used in a first base platoon with Daniel Murphy. He can also fill in at every other infield position when needed and can give Sgt. Bay of The Yukon and Jeff Francoeur a rest whenever Jerry Manuel decides to give either outfielder a day off.

Fernando Tatis has been an important part of the Mets bench since 2008. He has performed well when called upon in a pinch-hitting role and filled in nicely as an everyday player when David Wright succumbed to Matt Cain's head-seeking missile last August.

Welcome back, Fernando! Studious Metsimus thanks you for re-signing with the Mets so that you can "Show Us Your Tatis" once again in 2010!

Reason #17 To Retire Keith Hernandez's Number

Keith Hernandez was the heart and soul of the 1980s Mets teams that went from languishing at the bottom of the National League East to winning two division titles and a World Series championship. The former first baseman was a leader both on and off the field, and was given the captain's "C" to honor his leadership on the team. However, despite numerous pleas by Mets fans to retire his number 17, the Mets have not yet honored their former captain by doing so.

Let's compare Keith's career with the Mets to that of another first baseman who played on the West Coast for another expansion team from the 1960s. Perhaps if the people from the Coalition To Decide New Reasons To Put Off Retiring Keith's Number read the following, they might have to rethink things.

Keith Hernandez was a member of the Mets from 1983-1989. Over his 6½ years with the team, he batted over .300 four times, scored over 80 runs four times and drove in over 80 runs four times (including two 90-RBI seasons). He won six Gold Gloves while with the Mets, made the All-Star team three times, finished in the top ten in the MVP voting three times (including two top five finishes) and won a Silver Slugger Award in 1984.

During his first four full seasons with the Mets (1984-1987), an average season for Keith Hernandez looked like this: .305 batting average, .396 OBP, .836 OPS, 32 doubles, 14 HR, 89 RBI and 88 runs scored. More importantly, he was an instrumental player in the Mets' march to the 1986 World Series championship.

So which of his contemporaries am I comparing him to? Let's peruse over the numbers of a certain Steve Garvey, especially after he joined the San Diego Padres.

Steve Garvey joined the Padres as a free agent before the 1983 season (the same year Hernandez was traded to the Mets). He played four full seasons as San Diego's first baseman and part of a fifth in 1987, playing in only 27 games during his final season in the big leagues. During his tenure in San Diego, Garvey did not win any Gold Gloves (Mr. Hernandez was winning all of those), made the All-Star team twice and never finished higher than 20th in the MVP voting. He also did not win any Silver Slugger Awards. Furthermore, he never batted over .300 in any of those four seasons, never scored more than 80 runs and drove in over 80 runs three times (but no 90-RBI seasons).

During those four full seasons in San Diego (1983-1986), these were the numbers for an average Steve Garvey season: .278 batting average, .311 OBP, .725 OPS, 26 doubles, 15 HR, 77 RBI and 72 runs scored. He helped lead the Padres to one National League pennant in 1984, but did not win the World Series that year.

Clearly, Hernandez's numbers and awards with the Mets were superior to Garvey's numbers and lack of awards with the Padres. However, Garvey can claim one thing that Keith Hernandez can't.

STEVE GARVEY'S NUMBER HAS BEEN RETIRED BY THE SAN DIEGO PADRES!

Apparently, the Padres cared enough to acknowledge the fact that Garvey was instrumental in bringing the team back from being also-rans prior to 1983 to pennant winners in 1984. The Mets were cellar dwellers prior to 1983 as well. Then Keith Hernandez came aboard and things started to change, eventually leading to the World Championship that Garvey wasn't able to bring to San Diego.

How can the Mets not retire Keith Hernandez's number when the Padres have bestowed that honor to Steve Garvey? Instead, they continue to hand out the number to Fernando Tatis and various pitchers like Jose Lima, Graeme Lloyd and Dae-Sung Koo. At least Gary Carter's number hasn't been worn by a Met since Matt Galante wore it as a coach in 2002.

It's time for the Mets to retire the #17 in honor of their former captain and team leader, Keith Hernandez. The left field wall at Citi Field is high enough for more retired numbers. Let's end this oversight once and for all by raising the #17 for all Mets fans to see. Say it loud. Say it proud. Retire #17!